Quince Clash

by Malín Alegría

  When they stopped in front of the Spanish-style 1920s hotel in downtown Weslaco, Fabi was beside herself with excitement. There was a line of guests that went around the block. There had to be over a hundred people there. Grace was tight with security and wanted to make sure that only invited guests were allowed in. Fabi loved having the security guards checking everybody’s purses. It made the whole event feel exclusive. The limo door opened and she stepped out. Fabi was greeted with cheers and the flashing lights of cameras. She felt like a rock star.

  Inside, the hotel was amazing. It was an old hacienda-style building that had recently been restored to its original design. Fabi’s party was the first event hosted there. Beautiful crystal chandeliers lined the hallway that led to the massive hall. The first thing she saw was the quinceañera table, with elegant china and bright-colored dahlias. At the far end of the hall was a grand stage area. A big Target banner hung off the stage area, but Fabi didn’t mind. She beamed with gratitude at Grace, who was watching her reaction from the other side of the room.

  The crowd of guests filed in and took seats at the empty tables. Fabi saw the school librarian and her husband; the city councilman with his family; her uncles and cousins from Minnesota and California; her elementary school teachers; everyone from school. It seemed like the entire town had shown up.

  The event began with the classic song “De Niña a Mujer,” performed by the Dos Rios school mariachi band and sung by her sister, Alexis. Fabi’s chest tightened with emotion when she thought about how it was her baby sister’s crazy love for her that had made all of this possible. She was so proud of her. Tears burst forward when her dad slowly walked onto the dance floor without his walker. He looked so handsome and proud in his cowboy hat, Western tuxedo, and pointy snakeskin boots. They danced slowly. Fabi was cautious of her dad’s fragile state. But she was also overwhelmed with emotion. His face beamed as he twirled her. Alexis’s voice cracked as she sang. Fabi looked over her shoulder and noticed that there wasn’t a dry eye in the crowd.

  After the dance Fabi sat at the quinceañera table to eat while the mariachis played all her favorite songs. Fabi didn’t realize how hungry she was until the plate of chicken mole with rice and beans appeared in front of her.

  “Happy birthday,” a voice said behind her. Fabi turned and saw Milo dressed in a slick navy suit with a ruffled shirt.

  “You came,” she cried, jumping out of her seat to give him a big hug.

  “I couldn’t possibly miss your big day,” he said, blushing.

  “Sit here,” she said, motioning to the seat next to her. “Sit. Are you my surprise chambelán?” she asked hopefully.

  Milo’s face turned red. “I, uh, no, but I’d —” He glanced around.

  Fabi swallowed her pride and grabbed Milo’s hand. “I feel real bad about everything that happened between us.”

  “So do I,” Milo said in a hushed whisper.

  “I don’t know what I was thinking about Daniel.”

  He covered her hand with his. “Fabi, can we just forget about the whole thing? I feel bad about a lot of things, too, but let’s just put it behind us and enjoy this party.”

  “Done!”

  “Look,” Georgia Rae cut in, leaning over and pointing to the entrance.

  Walking in, arm in arm, were Melodee and Daniel. Melodee wore a cute cocktail dress, but the big scowl on her face ruined her look. Daniel looked uncomfortable, like he didn’t want to be there. Fabi couldn’t help but wish things had turned out differently between them. But she refused to be sad. Not on this day. This party was just as nice as Melodee’s, if not better. Now, where was her date?

  Then Grandma Trini came sauntering over with a gorgeous model-type man on her arm. The man looked like he’d walked off an Italian runway, with his piercing good looks and healthy dark tan. This had to be her surprise chambelán, Fabi thought.

  “Look what Grandma brought you,” Trini said, clapping excitedly. “Happy birthday, mija. I want to introduce you to your chambelán, Orlando Russo.”

  The very sexy man shot her a dazzling smile as he kissed her hand. Fabi’s cheeks reddened. She had a gazillion questions to ask, but she was interrupted by Grace.

  Grace Cooper took the mic and invited everyone to have a seat. She looked beautiful in her green gown. “I’d like to thank everyone for coming here today to celebrate Fabiola Garza’s quinceañera.”

  The guests went wild, cheering for her. Fabi smiled brightly. This was the best day ever, no doubt about it. She waved at her parents, who sat elegantly at the family table with Abuelita Alpha, Grandpa Frank, and her tía Consuelo.

  “Before we begin with the party,” Grace continued, “I’d like to show a little video we made throughout the last couple of weeks. I’ve produced many quinceañera shows, but this one has by far been the most surprising, and the one I am most proud of. There are so many people to thank who made this day possible, but most importantly I would like to give a special thank-you to Leonardo and Magdalena Garza for raising such a beautiful, proud, and special young girl.” Fabi’s parents stood and the guests clapped loudly. Grace smiled at Fabi. “And who is Fabiola Garza? Well, just watch this video.” She gestured to her assistant, and a wall-sized screen came down from the ceiling.

  Fabi saw clips of her appearing on the screen. There were pictures of her walking in the school hallway, working at the restaurant, and studying in the library. Fabi turned to her sister with excitement. This was just too cool.

  Then the film cut to her classmates. Violet, Mona, and Noelia talked animatedly about being in the quinceañera. Milo’s face lit up the screen. He brought up the time Fabi had taught him how to barbecue. Georgia Rae recounted the time Fabi ran around the raspa stand wearing camouflage paint and scared some customers away. Then Daniel appeared on the screen. The video must have been made before his public betrayal. Fabi held her breath and tried not to notice his beautiful dimples. Daniel said Fabi was a great person, with a real big heart and a pretty smile. His words made her uncomfortable. She wished they’d edited him out.

  Next came Chuy, and Fabi sighed with relief. Chuy thanked her for all the times she helped him with his English. Her grandpa Frank told the story about when Fabi was five and she’d finished a whole box of chocolate-flavored Ex-Lax. He’d been so scared that he raced her to the doctor to get her stomach pumped. The crowd loved that story and laughed really hard. Then Abuelita Alpha brought everyone to tears with her story of Fabiola playing the baby Jesus when she was two in the church play.

  The best interview, though, was her dad’s. He was standing in the restaurant’s kitchen as he recounted his “little changuita” following him around when he cooked. It was the old Leonardo, the one before the heart attack. He looked so strong and healthy. He told the story of when he put chili on Fabi’s fingertips so she would stop sucking her thumb. Fabi’s heart swelled. Of course, it hadn’t worked, because then Fabi just got into the habit of sucking her chili-flavored thumb. Fabi laughed with the guests at that. She turned and smiled at her dad.

  “You are one lucky girl,” the handsome guest chambelán said, sliding into the empty seat next to Fabi.

  Fabi was speechless for a second. The stranger had the softest light brown eyes with little gold specks. She couldn’t help but melt into them. Fabi secretly hoped Daniel was noticing this handsome man talking to her.

  “I am,” she said. “I feel like the luckiest girl in the world.”

  He smiled. “Your grandmother Trinidad told me all about you. I’m so honored to be your date tonight.”

  Fabi giggled with delight. She didn’t care how much her grandmother had paid him. He was so beautiful.

  Fabi went through all of the traditional ceremonial rites: La Última Muñeca, the father-daughter dance, and the changing of the shoes. That was the hardest part, because she hadn’t had a chance to practice walking in the stilettos. But she followed her Grandma Trini’s advice and faked it. When it was time to cut the cake, Santiago couldn’t
resist shoving Fabi’s face into the cake as the crowd cheered her to take a bite. Fabi tried to be mad, but the audience was laughing and cheering so hard she decided to return the favor, and smashed the remainder of the cake piece on Santiago’s face.

  The lights dimmed for the highlight of the evening, the quinceañera dance. Everyone did their best. Fabi kept forgetting which direction to turn. Was it left or right? Thankfully, Orlando was like a dream and led her beautifully. He knew all the choreography, as if he’d been practicing alongside them in all of the practices. Fabi couldn’t remember a time when she was happier. Then the professional reggaeton band came out and the crowd went crazy on the dance floor.

  A line of guests wanted to dance with Fabi. She made an effort to dance at least once with everyone. As she two-stepped with Grandpa Frank around the dance floor she noticed Daniel making his way toward her.

  Fabi craned her neck to be sure. Off to the left stood Melodee. She was calling out to Daniel, shouting angrily. But Daniel ignored her and continued pushing through the crowd. Her pulse jumped. What did he want? Grandpa Frank whirled her again when Daniel arrived. He nodded at Daniel. Fabi wanted to stop her grandpa, but he was already heading to the buffet table.

  “Hey, Fabi,” Daniel said, standing just a foot away from her. He was so close she could smell his peppermint gum. He did look cute, she thought.

  But he’s a liar, she reminded herself. A jerk. And Melodee’s boyfriend!

  “Hey,” she said back, with indifference.

  “Nice party.”

  She glanced around, waiting for someone to save her.

  Daniel glanced quickly over his shoulder. “I, um … I wanted to … um … I’m really sorry. About everything.”

  Fabi rolled her eyes. Now he was sorry?

  “I meant that stuff that I said, you know, to the camera,” Daniel went on, stuttering a little less now. “I think you’re an amazing girl. I never wanted for any of this to happen. I just didn’t expect you to be so cool, you know? I thought …”

  “Princesa,” Orlando interrupted, sliding in between them. “They’re playing our song.”

  Fabi shot Daniel a smug shrug. Orlando was so great! Daniel and Melodee could eat her dust, Fabi thought as she turned into Orlando’s waiting arms.

  Orlando smiled at Daniel and then said, “Your loss.”

  Fabi leaned her head back and laughed. Orlando was perfect in so many ways, she didn’t know where to begin. Daniel moved to the sidelines. He watched with a pained expression.

  Across the dance floor, Abuelita Alpha was dancing with Grandma Trini. Abuelita Alpha couldn’t take her eyes off of Orlando. There was something about him that she didn’t like. “Where did he come from?”

  Grandma Trini shook her shoulders roughly. “He’s an old friend of mine.”

  “An old friend?”

  Grandma Trini just smiled slyly as she twirled in place.

  “Is he a male escort?”

  Grandma Trini opened her mouth in shock and made a swatting gesture. “Don’t say that. No, he’s not, and don’t start any rumors. Fabi needed a handsome chambelán to make that rich girl eat her dust.”

  Abuelita Alpha stared at Trini.

  “Don’t give me that look, either,” Trini said, shaking her hips. “You weren’t there. You didn’t hear the mean things that girl said about our Fabiola.”

  “You still can’t forgive those girls who used to tease you back in our days?”

  “Water under the bridge. I’ve already forgotten about that. I can’t believe you still remember.”

  Abuelita Alpha turned back to Orlando. “There’s something about him that looks familiar,” she murmured.

  “Don’t even think about ruining this party with your speculations. I’ve never seen Fabi so happy. Déjala gozar. Just this one time.”

  Fabi didn’t hear the conversation, nor did she notice her abuelita’s disapproving stare. She was having too much fun dancing with Orlando. He was such a good dancer she felt like she was floating on air. The sips of champagne must have been going to her head because she could barely feel the floor below her feet as they glided across it. She heard people gasping in awe. The dance classes made her feel so much more comfortable with her body that she didn’t even turn. In Orlando’s arms she knew they looked good. It’s a dream come true, she thought, allowing the bliss to consume her as he whirled her faster and faster around.

  All of a sudden a straw broom smacked her on the back. Fabi shook in surprise. The blows hit her and Orlando again and again. Fabi looked behind her and saw Abuelita Alpha with a raised broom in her hands, aiming for another strike. Grandma Trini was pulling at Abuelita’s sweater, trying to get her to stop. But Alpha had gone mad.

  “¡Lágarte, diablo maldito!” Abuelita Alpha screamed with feverish venom. Where was the security? Fabi wanted to cry for help.

  With godly strength, Alpha shook Grandma Trini off her. Trini fell back and into the crowd. Fabi couldn’t believe it. Her head felt fuzzy from all the twirls. She shook her head to clear it. Then, Fabi fell flat on her butt on the hard wooden floor. Abuelita Alpha continued swinging the broom like it was a bat at Orlando, cursing up a storm. Fabi was shocked; she didn’t know her abuelita even knew those words.

  Orlando glared angrily at Abuelita Alpha. Her grandmother was out of control. Fabi tried to get up and stop this, but her dress was too big and puffy.

  “Stop, Alpha!” Trini yelled from the crowd. “You’ll ruin everything!”

  “Security!” Fabi shouted. There was no way she was going to let her grandmother ruin her party. Not now! Not when it was going so well. But nobody moved. Were they all just as shocked as her?

  Orlando stepped back, blocking the blows with his arm. He had edged back to the windows. Her chambelán was trapped, and Alpha continued after him as if he was some hunted animal. Fabi’s abuelita raised the broom high over her head and Orlando turned to Fabi. He blew her a kiss, and then jumped through the window.

  Fabi screamed. There was a crash, and shards of broken glass went everywhere. This was horrible. Fabi rolled onto her knees. Alexis was at her side and helped her up.

  “What was that?” Alexis cried.

  Fabi shook her head. They ran to the window, where their abuelita was standing with a smug look on her face. Fabi leaned out the broken window and noticed the drop. It had to be at least three stories. But it was dark outside and there was no sign of Orlando. No one could make that jump without breaking something, she thought. But he was gone. It was as if he just disappeared into the night.

  “Abuelita,” Fabi cried, close to hysterics. “What did you do?”

  Her grandmother made the sign of the cross in front of her. “I’m sorry, mija. I had to do it.”

  “Abuelita, he was my chambelán! You can’t be doing that.”

  “I had to,” her abuelita stated again confidently. “He was the devil.”

  Fabi couldn’t believe her grandmother’s crazy antics. This was too far! “No, he wasn’t. He was a nice guy. He was just helping me out.”

  “No, mija.” Her grandmother shook her head sadly. “That was el diablo. I swear on my life, that was him. You don’t know better because you’re so young and vulnerable. But I know. At first I was trying to see his legs. The devil can’t transform his feet, you know?” She made hand gestures as if that would help. “He has one that looks like a rooster’s claw and the other is like one of Grandpa’s goat’s cloven hooves. But then I saw you both dancing and swirling.”

  “That’s how people dance nowadays.” Fabi was exhausted and definitely didn’t have the energy to explain current dance trends to her grandmother.

  “Mija, you two were spinning. Spinning above the floor in the air. If I didn’t break the spell, he would have spirited you away into hell. Is that what you want, you ungrateful child? Next time I’ll let him take you!”

  Fabi groaned in frustration. There was no talking to her grandmother when she got like this. Nothing was going to convin
ce her other-wise. Fabi turned back to the party. Everyone was staring at her in shock. She shrugged.

  “He had to go,” she said to the crowd. Fabi sighed. Well, at least it wasn’t a total disaster, she thought as the next cumbia came on and everyone started to dance again. Milo came up to her and asked her to dance. Fabi headed back to the packed dance floor. This time she made sure she kept her feet firmly on the floor.

  That night became known as the night Fabi danced with the devil. Fabi wondered how much her abuelita Alpha had to do with the rumor, but she let it slide. Enough had happened that made her want to put the whole quince fight behind her.

  Grace went back to Los Angeles. The show would air in a couple of months, once they finished editing the footage. She was going to call Fabi when it was ready. Grace also invited Fabi to Los Angeles over the summer break. Her dad promised to think about it.

  At school, Fabi found that her celebrity status disappeared when the camera’s lights went out. She was glad that things were back to normal.

  Well, almost — Santiago punched Daniel in the hallway right in front of the vice principal’s office. They suspended him, but Santiago didn’t care. He said he was done with pretending to be a schoolboy.

  Melodee demanded a do-over because she said Fabi cheated. A rumor circulated that Fabi’s chambelán was a hired escort and thus she broke the rules.

  “What rules?” Fabi asked. “There are no quinceañera rules.”

  Melodee fumed, “The rules! Everyone knows that you can’t hire someone to be your chambelán. That’s cheating.”

  “Well, you cheated, too,” Fabi snapped back. “You told Daniel to get close to me so that I’d ask him to be my chambelán, when you knew he was your boyfriend. That makes the whole bet null and void.”

  “Fine,” Melodee spat.

  “Fine.”

  Melodee spun around without another word and walked away, her crew trailing behind like a long piece of toilet paper attached to her shoe.

  Alexis laughed out loud. Fabi and Milo joined in with her. Everything seemed to be back to normal.